Obongi District, Uganda – School children in Obongi District have turned to fishing and other informal activities due to the ongoing teachers’ strike led by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), headed by Secretary General Mr. Filbert Baguma.
Since September 15, 2025, all government-aided schools in the district have remained closed, immediately after reopening. This followed a directive from the UNATU Chairperson for Obongi, Mr. Osman Apiku, who delivered a letter signed by Mr. Baguma to all schools, ordering them to shut down. Pupils were reportedly sent away.
Mr. Apiku also took to local radio, where he insisted that teachers must not report to work and advised parents not to send their children to school until further notice.
As a result, many school-going children in Obongi have now turned to fishing, working as housemaids, and in some cases, entering early marriages. Several landing sites across the district are currently filled with young children engaging in fishing-related activities.
“We want to be at school, but since teachers are on strike, we are disappointed and idle. We’ve turned to fishing because we have no hope of going back to school,” said some of the children interviewed.
On the other hand, private schools in Obongi reopened on September 15, and teachers resumed classes as scheduled.
Ms. Biryeri Edith, the Director and Founder of St. Mary’s Nursery and Primary School, said they did not join the strike, not because they are paid better but because of their patriotism and commitment to education as a noble cause.
During a visit to St. Mary’s Mixed Nursery and Primary School in Obongi Town, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, thanked the school’s management for remaining open and committed to teaching. He also offered to volunteer as an English teacher to support the pupils during this period.
